Mist
by nudge343
Summary: A message arrived to Destiny Islands. Clear intructions on it. When Sora goes to see the king, he returns to find his home in ruins. Now he teams up with some familiar friends and some new friends to fight the last battle. How will the story end?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One is extremely short. But this isnt even my chapter. This is the epiloge for Kingdom Hearts 2. I just worded it lol. Grammer isnt perfect but oh well...This is my first story in a while so go easy on me.**

Beginnings to journies are always complicated. They never make sense until the end. Thats when you sit there and say "Ooh... I get it now." and slap your forehead with your palm because it was simple but you still couldnt figure it out. ThiS journy was no exception.

Chapter One ~Destiny Islands~

The sound of crashing waves was all you could hear all around the island. Even when you were deep in the forest, you could still undoubtidly hear the cries of the gulls and water falling onto the shore. The sun was setting over another picture perfect day on this little island. Everyday had the same perfect sense of security on the islet with the badly built bridge and the secret cave tucked into the bushes.

A smaller, tree filled islet sat close to the first one, the bridge built to connect them and a shack that led to the bridge. An oddly shapped tree sat dead center on this island. It had grown curved, the leaves extending over the ocean, ideal for sitting on to rest. Peculiar fruit grew on this tree, said to have extraordinary powers to bind two people together through an eternity. A boy sat atop the tree, near the leagendary fruit, mere inches. Silver hair graced his head, falling down to his shoulders and into his sea green eyes, which currently stared out into the ocean, one thing he had missed dearly. It was one of the few things that he enjoyed in life. It always seemed to calm him...

A younger boy ran up then, jumping to the other side of the tree to face the ocean as well. He put his hands behing his head, not mussing his perfectly spiked hair in the slightest. They sat there in a comfortable scilence for a moment, each boy consumed in his own thoughts.

"Nothings changed, huh?" Spoke the silver haired boy, Riku.

His partner, Sora, smiled a little as he watched the tide roll in and out. "Nope...nothing will."

Riku was silent for a moment before musing, "What a small world..."

"But part of one that's much bigger..."

Riku smiled a bit, his eyes softening. "Yeah..."

"Hey Riku, what do you think it was? The Door to the Light?"

At this, Riku hopped off the tree, chuckling a bit. Sora straightened as well, turning to face his friend.

Riku out-streached his arm, tapping Sora on the chest. "This."

Sora stared down in puzzlement. There was nothing there but his chain. He covered it with his hand. "This?" He looked up at his friend with curious, round eyes.

"Yeah. It's always closer then you think."

Sora's face broke out into a bright smile, lighting up his round face. He seemed extremely happy to be back, Riku noted. They had found out from the King and their other longtime friend, Kairi, they had been gone for months. Neither of them could recall it feeling that long, but Kairi and the King had both confirmed it. The both of them had sat on the island for days, leaving only to sleep.

"Sora! Riku!"

Well, speak of the devil..., Riku thought.

Kairi ran up then, waving franticly. When she reached them, she paused for breath. Panting, she held something in her hands.

"Hey, whats up?" Sora asked, trying to catch a glimpse of what was in her hands by stepping closer. Her auburn hair blocked view of her face and her hunched over position covered the mysterious object. Riku grew curious as well and stepped foward a small step.

Kairi finally looked up. She wore a worried expression, her eyes wide. "Look."

In her hand was a clear, medium-sized bottle. It gleamed in the sunset. The bottle itself seemed ordinary. Nothing strange about it. Except the thin roll of paper inside it, bearing the mark of the King.

"From the King?" Sora exclaimed, snatching the bottle from her hand. It had been months since they had seen King Mickey and his royal advisers, Donald Duck and Goofy. They had parted ways not long after Sora and Riku returned home from their battle with Xemnas. Eager as ever, Sora tore the stopper and tipped out the paper. Sora read hungrily, his eyes flitting from sentance to sentance.

The note wasn't very detailed. But the instructions were clear enough. Sora, Riku, and Kairi, three friends tied by destiny, were to take the Mark of Mastery exam in order to begin a new journy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- UP! I'm somewhat offended I didnt get any reviews. Makes me feel like I suck at writing. :( ANYWAY- Spoiler to Birth By Sleep.**

Sora sat alone on the Paopu tree, deep in thought. Both Kairi and Riku had agreed they were sticking to Sora no matter what. Pass or fail, they were going through this together. Kairi had even began threatning him as soon as he finished reading the note.

Now Sora needed to choose-

"Sora!" A voice called to him. Turning around, he saw a familiar face heading towards the tree.

"Riku." He called back, already begining to taste the bitterness of goodbye on his tounge.

Riku walked till he was next to the tree. Sora watched him as he abruptly stopped. He held his breath as Riku opened his mouth to speak.

"Your mind's made up?" Was all he asked, hands by his sides. There was a tinge of sadness in his voice, something not often heard from Riku.

Sora smiled sadly, looking away. "Yeah." He held the bottle in both his hands. Riku seemed to accept this.

There was a soft crunching behind them. More footsteps. Sora had been dreading this moment... the moment he said goodbye to Kairi.

"Sora." She called out softly to him. Both they boys looked over at her. She wore a smile upon her face, her blue eys glittering in the sunset. A soft breeze came by and rippled her hair.

"Kairi!" He said, sounding more then a bit nervous. Jumping off the tree, he looked away from her smiling face. "I-" He somehow couldnt find the words. It was strange, seeing as they had all agreed on it a while back. But now he couldnt even meet her gaze.

She nodded, making a small sound of agreement. His head snapped up to meet her gaze. He hadnt noticed before but her eyes looked a bit sad. As if she were afraid of not seeing him again. The evident surprise on his face transformed into a smile as he closed the distance between them, leaving about a foot of felt like the right time to explain, even though he already knew she understood.

"Its just- they really need me. I have to go. I am who I am because of them." He meant what he said. All of them... were the reason he was how he was. He needed to help them, if he could.

Riku laughed under his breath, smiling. He understood exactly what Sora meant. Kairi made a sound that was a mix between a sigh and a giggle. She reached out and grabbed his wrist with one small hand, placing something small and hard in his with the other. Looking down, he saw it was her thalassa shell good luck charm. The one she had given him last time with a smiley face at the top where the chain connected.

"See you soon." She said, her voice sounding sad. Looking back up into her face, he saw she was grinning with tears shining in the corners of her eyes. Unexpectedly, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. His arms came up around her automatically and he closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. She always smelled sweet, but not too sweet. Like vanilla. He opened his eyes a fraction to see Riku akwardly scratch his head, turn away and walk down the bridge. Sora let his eyes close again, just holding Kairi. It was a while before they pulled apart. And once they did, Sora kept his hands at her wind was playing with strands of her hair. His eyes locked onto hersas she placed her hand against his cheek. He felt something shift, and he found himself leaning foward, his eyes closing slowly.

A harsh wind blew around them suddenly. He yanked her close to him, the moment ruined. She ducked her head into the sleeve of his shirt. Looking up, Sora saw the cause of the wind; a small Gummi Ship was hovering above, decending towards him.

"Wow..." Kairi spoke. She had looked up to see the Ship lowering a rope ladder. "How cliche.." She back up at Sora, he saw faint humor in her eyes. " I suppose you'll hang onto the ladder waving goodbye as well?"

Sora merely grinned into her pretty face. Giving her one last, quick hug, he climbed a few steps up the ladder and held on as the Ship began to ascend. In the distance, he saw Riku's silver hair flapping around wildly, forming a halo in the afternoon sunlight. He waved goodbye first to Riku, then to Kairi, watching as their forms faded.

Above his head, he heard the hatch open. He scrambled up into the ship, eager to see Donald and Goofy again. The halls of the ship were all familiar, tugging at memories from when he was 14. This was the first Gummi ship he had ever been on. Walking quickly, he wove his way through the halls with ease. If he remembered correctly, the cockpit should be right around... here.

Opening the door, Sora peeked his head in. "Donald? Goofy?" He asked uncertainly.

The big chairs in the front turned around to face him and his eyes widened with happiness. Because right in front of him sat two very familiar people.

"Leon! Yuffie!"

Yuffie stood and gave him a hug. "Long time no see, Keyblade Master!" Looking her over, he saw her hair had grown a bit, just barely reaching her shoulders.

Leon, still driving, called to him. "Go get some rest. We're gonna be driving for a while. Theres 3 cabins in back. Pick one of the two." He never turned to glance back.

"Uh..." Sora scratched his head as he turned to leave. Was Leon mad? Had Sora done something wrong?

"Hey Sora! Wait up!" The she-ninja caught up to him easily, falling into step with him. She smiled up at him, easily more then 5 inches shorter.

"What's going on Yuffie? Is Leon mad?"

She laughed. "Nah, he's just annoyed that he has to babysit you."

Sora crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't need to be babysat, Yuffie. I'm almost 17." The thought of being babysat bothered Sora. He was the keyblade master. He had done what no other has done before. He's fought countless Heartless and Nobodies. He took down Orginazation 13 and the Heartless Ansem. He did _NOT_ need to be watched over.

Yuffie laughed again. "His words, not mine. Besides, the King told us not to leave your side until you made it to the castle."

That got Sora's attention. "Oh, yeah! Yuffie, do you know what this is all about? I thought the worlds were at peace at last..." He trailed off, his voice uncertain. He had been so sure that defeating Xemnas would put an end to the constant danger in all the worlds.

The ninjas merely shrugged her small shoulders. "We were just told to come pick you up."

"Thats another thing...why not just send Donald and Goofy?" Sora was happy to have seen both Leon and Yuffie, but he had missed his fighting companions of two years.

She shrugged again. "Maybe they'll meet you there. In the mean time, it'll take a few hours to get there in this ship. You should rest up."

Sora, who hadn't been paying attention, realized they had been standing in front of a door. Opening it, he walked into the room which had few things in it. Gummi ships were made to travel, not to be luxurious. He looked over at the doorway where Yuffie lingered. Smiling at her, he gave her a warm thanks before she smiled back and left.

Dropping down onto the bed, Sora let his disappointment show on his face. He pulled out Kairi's lucky charm and gazed upon it. The small, chibi face smiled back at him. He missed his island already. Two years was not enough for him to get his fill of his home.

Sighing, he put away the charm and laid on his back. Sleep came easy for him and, as always, he dreamt of his island when he was younger. The way it had always seemed so huge for him and Riku to play alone. He dreamt of the days before Kairi had washed up onto shore, which were always too blurry to make out anything but the form of two strangers; a man and a woman.

His dreams continued onto the time flying to the day they all left the island. As always, the dream faded into black, leaving him to sleep.


End file.
